While some philosophy courses above 2000 do not have explicit prerequisites, they are intended for upper-level students who are assumed to be well prepared in the relevant background. It is always safest to check with the instructor before registering for these courses.

General Education

We incessantly engage ourselves in doing things. We are beings-at-doing. We define ourselves by the kind of actions we perform. How we act or conduct ourselves is shaped by the kind of self we construct for ourselves. And that self is shaped by the society into
which we happen to be born. Self-identity, which is socially and culturally constructed by
our experiences and interactions with others, carries a personal as well as an interpersonal
meaning. Learn the four Asian paradigmatic cases of self-identity and examine your self in light of them.

Note: This course fulfills the Human Behavior (GB) requirement for students under GenEd and Individual & Society (IN) for students under Core.

Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: ASIA ST 0811, CR LANG 0811, REL 0811/0911, Chinese 0811, or Japanese 0811.

0824. Landscape of American Thought (3 s.h.) RCI: GU.

America once was envisioned by its colonizers as a new world, as a city upon a hill beckoning to humanity. After centuries of conquest, enslavement, immigration, and political struggle, conditions for sustaining this early vision continue to evolve. Explore the emergence of some of the most distinctive and influential American voices to inform our national debate about freedom, the individual, race, democracy, and oppression, as it has unfolded over the past two centuries. Through consideration of selected works of some of the most renowned figures to shape the landscape of American public discourse, we return to face the question of the promise of America, as it plays out today in the thought of some of the leading public intellectuals of our time.

Note: This course fulfills the U.S. Society (GU) requirement for students under GenEd and American Culture (AC) for students under Core.

Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed Philosophy 0924.

0847. The Meaning of the Arts (3 s.h.) RCI: GA.

As we blend philosophical inquiry into the nature of several of the arts and the roles they play in society with analyses of particular artistic practices, we shall critically examine questions like these: Is the main goal of art to imitate or represent the world? If so, do painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, movies, music, dance, theater, performance art, literature, handicrafts, fashion, bodily ornamentation and the like, provide knowledge about ourselves and the world around us? What is—or should be—the relationship between art and some of the other great domains of human thought, action, and concerns such as religion or the realm of social and political relations, especially matters concerning gender, sexuality, class, race, morality, and community? Do the arts or artistic institutions have specific social functions? For example, is there a connection between museums, imperialism, and nationalism? Are films embedded in networks of commodity production? Are there specifically urban or global dimension to these questions?

Note: This course fulfills the Arts (GA) requirement for students under GenEd and Arts (AR) for students under Core.

Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed Philosophy 0947.

0859. The Making of American Society: Melting Pot or Culture Wars? (3 s.h.) RCI: GU.

Terrorism, illegal immigration, gay marriage, religious conflict, political in-fighting, corporate corruption, racial animosities, civil liberties assaults, media conglomeration, Wal-Mart goes to China and the rich get richer. America in the 21st century is a contentious society. How did we get to this place in time? Examine what makes American society distinctive from other advanced industrial democracies as we study the philosophical origins of America, the development of social and economic relationships over time, and the political disputes dominating contemporary American life. The course relies heavily on perspectives from History, Sociology and Political Science to explain the challenges facing contemporary American society.

Note: This course fulfills the U.S. Society (GU) requirement for students under GenEd and American Culture (AC) for students under Core.

Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed any of the following: AMER ST 0859, History 0859, POL SCI 0859, or SOC 0859.

0863. Religion in the World (3 s.h.) RCI: GG.

Learn about the major religious traditions found worldwide today: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and several indigenous traditions. Examine the beliefs, practices, and values of these groups in order to understand the worldviews and ways of life of the people who practice them. Our interdisciplinary analysis and interpretation of specific examples of religious experience will help shed light on the overall meaning of religion and human existence. We will carefully consider examples while also focusing on particular thematic issues, like cosmology and ritual. Develop appreciation for the religious vibrancy and diversity that exist in human cultures while you actively engage in the learning process through class presentation, class participation, paper-writing, and a self-selected field trip.

Note: This course fulfills the World Society (GG) requirement for students under GenEd and International Studies (IS) for students under Core.

Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed ASIA ST 0863, CR LANG 0863, or REL 0863/0963.

General Education Honors

0924. Honors Landscape of American Thought (3 s.h.) RCI: GU.

America once was envisioned by its colonizers as a new world, as a city upon a hill beckoning to humanity. After centuries of conquest, enslavement, immigration, and political struggle, conditions for sustaining this early vision continue to evolve. Explore the emergence of some of the most distinctive and influential American voices to inform our national debate about freedom, the individual, race, democracy, and oppression, as it has unfolded over the past two centuries. Through consideration of selected works of some of the most renowned figures to shape the landscape of American public discourse, we return to face the question of the promise of America, as it plays out today in the thought of some of the leading public intellectuals of our time. (This is an Honors course.)

Note: This course fulfills the U.S. Society (GU) requirement for students under GenEd and American Culture (AC) for students under Core.

Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed Philosophy 0824.

0947. Honors The Meaning of the Arts (3 s.h.) RCI: GA.

As we blend philosophical inquiry into the nature of several of the arts and the roles they play in society with analyses of particular artistic practices, we shall critically examine questions like these: Is the main goal of art to imitate or represent the world? If so, do painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, movies, music, dance, theater, performance art, literature, handicrafts, fashion, bodily ornamentation and the like, provide knowledge about ourselves and the world around us? What is—or should be—the relationship between art and some of the other great domains of human thought, action, and concerns such as religion or the realm of social and political relations, especially matters concerning gender, sexuality, class, race, morality, and community? Do the arts or artistic institutions have specific social functions? For example, is there a connection between museums, imperialism, and nationalism? Are films embedded in networks of commodity production? Are there specifically urban or global dimension to these questions? (This is an Honors course.)

Note: This course fulfills the Arts (GA) requirement for students under GenEd and Arts (AR) for students under Core.

Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have successfully completed Philosophy 0847.

Lower Division Courses

This course combines historical and contemporary sources to study individuals and their social settings. Thus it introduces the basic issues of ethics, and social and political philosophy. It serves as the entry course not only for further study of these fields, but also for the study of business and professional ethics and philosophy of law.

Note: (1) Philosophy majors or minors who have taken 1101 (0100), Introduction to Philosophy, should not take this course. (2) This course can be used to satisfy the university Core Individual & Society (IN) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.

1055. Critical Thinking (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0055.)

A course in reasoning well: logically and critically. Increase your ability to read something and decide if it should persuade or be rejected. How to back up what you say with evidence and/or good arguments. While the course is not a “prep” for the LSAT’s, and other exams that test critical abilities, it focuses directly on the skills necessary to do well in them.

Note: Philosophy majors or minors who have taken 1066 (C066), Introduction to Logic should not take this course.

1061. Art and Society (3 s.h.) F. RCI: AR.

(Formerly: PHILOS C061.)

Besides treating the major issues internal to the arts and their criticism (e.g., definitions of art and aesthetic experience, artistic expression, form, representation, critical interpretation and evaluation), the course also deals with wider questions of the social function and value of the arts, several of which relate to current issues of gender, race, and ethnicity.

Note: This course can be used to satisfy the university Core Arts (AR) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.

1062. Morality and the Law (3 s.h.) S. RCI: IN.

(Formerly: PHILOS C062.)

Recommended for pre-law and pre-social administration students. The course provides a basic grounding in moral and legal philosophy, and addresses issues on which both touch, such as capital punishment, affirmative action, sexual behavior, and the right to welfare.

Note: This course can be used to satisfy the university Core Individual & Society (IN) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.

1063. American Thinkers (3 s.h.) S. RCI: AC.

(Formerly: PHILOS C063.)

The major figures and central problems of American philosophy will be surveyed historically, with a view to examining what is distinctive in American thought and how American philosophy relates to its natural cultural context.

Note: This course can be used to satisfy the university Core American Culture (AC) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.

The meaning of such logical notions as the validity of arguments, the equivalence of statements, and the inconsistency of sets of statements. Symbolization of the logically relevant features of statements and testing of arguments for validity, sets for inconsistency, etc. Development of logical theory in connection with these notions and techniques.

Note: (1) Students who have taken Philosophy 1055 (0055), Critical Thinking, should consult with an advisor before taking this course. (2) This course can be used to satisfy the university Core Quantitative Reasoning B (QB) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.

1076. Philosophy East and West (3 s.h.) F. RCI: IS.

(Formerly: PHILOS C088.)

Systematic and comparative study of representative philosophies of India, China, Japan, and Western Europe.

Note: This course can be used to satisfy the university Core International Studies (IS) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information. In addition to meeting the university Core International Studies requirement, this course meets the Non-Western/Third World IS requirement for Communication Sciences majors. Please note the recent update to the Core IS requirement at www.temple.edu/vpus/documents/Core_IS_UpdateFinal.pdf.

1077. Science in Context (3 s.h.) S. RCI: SB.

(Formerly: PHILOS C077.)

A study of scientific method by critical examination of cases of scientific work in their social, political, and psychological context. Attention to the values and ethical concerns in scientific inquiry.

Note: This course can be used to satisfy the university Core Science & Technology Second Level (SB) requirement.

1101. Introduction to Philosophy (3 s.h.) F S SS.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0100.)

Philosophical problems in the works of great thinkers from ancient times to present. Selected questions concern the nature of reality, human freedom, the foundations of knowledge, standards of value, and the existence of God.

Note: Students who have taken 1001 (C050), Challenges to the Individual should consult with an advisor before taking this course.

1196. Introduction to Philosophy (3 s.h.) RCI: WI.

(Formerly: PHILOS W100.)

This course is an introduction to philosophy that focuses on the reading, thinking, and writing skills needed for the study of philosophy. The course concentrates on close readings of a few texts rather than a broad survey of the philosophical tradition.

Note: This course fulfills one of the two writing requirements for the major.

1861. Art and Society (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0061.)

Besides treating the major issues internal to the arts and their criticism (e.g., definitions of art and aesthetic experience, artistic expression, form, representation, critical interpretation and evaluation), the course also deals with wider questions of the social function and value of the arts, several of which relate to current issues of gender, race, and ethnicity.

1955. Honors Critical Thinking (3 s.h.) RCI: HO.

(Formerly: PHILOS H055.)

Honors version of 1055 (0055).

1962. Honors Morality & the Law (3 s.h.) RCI: IN.

(Formerly: PHILOS H092.)

Honors version of 1062 (C062).

Note: This course can be used to satisfy the university Core Individual & Society (IN) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.

1966. Honors Introduction to Logic (3 s.h.) RCI: QB.

(Formerly: PHILOS H096.)

Honors version of 1066 (C066).

Note: This course can be used to satisfy the university Core Quantitative Reasoning B (QB) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.

1977. Honors Science in Context (3 s.h.) S. RCI: SB.

(Formerly: PHILOS H097.)

A study of scientific method by critical examination of cases of scientific work in their social, political, and psychological context. Attention to the values and ethical concerns in scientific inquiry.

Note: This course can be used to satisfy the university Core Science & Technology Second Level (SB) requirement.

Upper Division Courses

2100. Special Topics (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0228.)

Arranged each semester. Please consult with the instructor.

2121. Introduction to Ethical Theory (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0121.)

An introduction to major schools of ethical theory such as utilitarian ethics, deontological ethics, virtue ethics, and the ethics of care. Specific problems from metaethics and applied ethics may also be treated.

2125. Philosophy of African-American Experiences (3 s.h.) S. RCI: RS.

(Formerly: PHILOS R125.)

An introduction to African-American philosophy and the issues around which it has developed: the meaning of racial identity, concepts of personhood, the nature of racial oppression and its relation to gender and class oppression, strategies for black liberation. We will pay close attention to the ways in which African American philosophy is simultaneously a development of and a radical critique of Anglo-European philosophy.

Note: This course can be used to satisfy the university Core Studies in Race (RS) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.

2126. Contemporary Social Philosophy (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0126.)

An overview of recent and current thinking about philosophically relevant problems of and in the present-day world. Normally a few key texts will be focused upon, drawn from writing of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Environment, racial tension, globalization, economy, the nature of power, generational conflict, and the persistence of war are some typical topics.

2131. Introduction to Aesthetics (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0131.)

This course addresses major issues internal to the arts and their criticism such as definitions of art and aesthetic experience, artistic expression, form, representation, critical interpretation and evaluation. The course may also address more specific issues such as the relationship of art and race, art and freedom of expression, art and morality.

2144. Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0144.)

An introductory overview of the most important issues in contemporary philosophy of mind and cognitive studies. Especially aimed at students of Psychology.

2154. Political Philosophy (3 s.h.) F.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0154.)

An examination of such issues as the source of obligation to obey the state, natural rights, the limits of governmental authority, and the justification of various forms of government. Readings drawn from classical and contemporary sources.

2157. Environmental Ethics (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0157.)

Cross Listed with Environmental Studies 2157.

A study of the ethical dimensions of several contemporary environmental controversies. The course examines the major theoretical approaches to environmental ethics, including human-centered (anthropocentric), animal-centered (zoocentric), and nature-centered (biocentric and ecocentric) value systems, as well as the most important critiques of these ethical approaches. The course will also address specific issues such as biodiversity and wilderness preservation; human use of animals as food, entertainment, and research subjects; environmental racism and toxic dumping; sustainable development, population and consumption.

2161. History of Philosophy: Greek (3 s.h.) F.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0161.)

A survey of ancient Greek philosophy from the Presocratics through the Hellenistic Period. Primary and secondary materials used.

2165. Hume, Marx, Darwin, and Freud (3 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0165.)

An exploration of four major figures who are important in the rise of the social sciences. Their influence in the present will be stressed.

2172. History of Philosophy: Modern (3 s.h.) S SS.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0172.)

A historical and critical study of the thought of selected philosophers from Descartes to Hume emphasizing their treatment of such topics as perception, the mind/body relationship, the structure of knowledge, and personal identity.

2596. Philosophical Perspectives on the Environment (3 s.h.) RCI: WI.

(Formerly: PHILOS W156.)

Cross Listed with Environmental Studies 2596 (W156).

Views both historical and modern on our relationship to the natural world around (and in) us, and the terms in which we can best think about it.

Note: This course can be used to satisfy the university Core Studies in Race (RS) requirement. Although it may be usable towards graduation as a major requirement or university elective, it cannot be used to satisfy any of the university GenEd requirements. See your advisor for further information.

The companion course to Philosophy 3085 (0198), Pre-Law Internship. The course deals with issues related to lawyers and the practice of law such as professional ethics, legal reasoning and the nature of legal education. Must be taken in conjunction with Philosophy 3085 (0198).

Note: Requires permission of instructor to register. Students must consult with the instructor in the Fall to arrange an internship placement.

Internship with a legal office or law-related office in the Philadelphia area. Must be taken in conjunction with Philosophy 3075 (0199), Pre-Law Seminar.

Note: Must consult course instructor in the Fall to arrange placement.

3116. Development of Western Cosmology (3 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0116.)

An examination of how modern cosmology developed from its roots in Egypt and Asia, through the classical ancient world, Islam and the Middle Ages, to the great discoveries of the modern and contemporary periods in understanding space and time.

3133. Philosophy of Education (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0133.)

An examination of contemporary theories of learning and teaching. Some of the authors likely to be encountered are bell hooks, Pierre Bourdieu, Martha Nussbaum, etc. The broader social contexts within which education takes place will be explored.

3168. Themes in Existentialism (3 s.h.) F.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0186.)

The meaning of life and death, freedom and anxiety, joy and suffering, faith and despair -- these and other dimensions of the human condition will be explored. The course covers existential philosophers such as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Camus, and Sartre, though it may also focus on existentialism in film, existentialism in theater and literature, or non-Western philosophies of existence.

3210. Special Topics in Philosophy (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0291.)

Arranged each semester. Please consult with the instructor.

3211. Intermediate Logic (3 s.h.) F.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0211.)

Prerequisite: Philosophy 0111, or a major in mathematics, or permission of instructor.

An introduction to the meta theory of the elementary logic of predicates and quantifiers (familiarity with which is presupposed). Proofs that a standard derivation system is sound and complete are central.

3216. Philosophy of Science (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0216.)

Basic issues in the current philosophy of science, and particularly various accounts of such key notions of science as hypotheses, confirmation, laws, causation, explanation, and theories.

3217. Feminist Epistemology and Philosophy of Science (3 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0217.)

Human knowledge is influenced by gender ideologies. This course examines the pervasiveness of these influences, and the resultant implications for the possibility of attaining objectivity and truth in inquiry. Scientific knowledge and philosophical theories of the nature of knowledge are special focuses of attention in this course. Scientific knowledge is considered through detailed discussion of cases in empirical science. The complex relations between gender, race, and class are also discussed in relation to these epistemological issues.

3220. Special Topics in Philosophy (4 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0292.)

Arranged each semester. Please consult with the instructor.

3222. Contemporary Ethical Theory (3 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0222.)

Issues in ethical theory that have come to prominence since the 20th century. Both meta-ethical issues (about the meaning and justification of ethical statements) and normative issues (about obligation, responsibility, and goodness) will be examined.

3223. Feminist Ethics and Political Philosophy (3 s.h.) F.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0223.)

An examination of feminism’s contribution to ethics, political philosophy, and legal theory. Issues may include: the role of care versus that of justice in determining moral obligations; the nature and causes of women’s oppression (including the difference between the sexual oppression experienced by white women and the additional forms of oppression to which women of color/third-world women are subject); pornography and prostitution; equality and difference; essentialism as it pertains to gender and race; feminist jurisprudence; postmodern feminism.

3226. Classics in Moral Philosophy (3 s.h.) F.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0226.)

A study of the major works in the history of moral philosophy selected from among the writings of such philosophers as Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Spinoza, Hume, Kant, Mill, Nietzsche, Moore.

3232. History of Aesthetics (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0232.)

A study of major works in the history of aesthetics selected from such philosophers as Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Kant, Schopenhauer, Hegel, Dewey, Bell, Collingwood, Beardsley, Langer, Dickie, Danto, and contemporary figures.

3234. Philosophy of Music (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0234.)

An examination of philosophical issues concerning the nature and value of music, such as the nature of composition, performance, and appreciation of music, the varieties of musical meaning, the relation of music to the emotions, and the social importance of music.

3235. Classics in Moral Philosophy (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0235.)

A study of the major works in the history of moral philosophy. This course will generally focus on figures and schools from classical Greek and Roman moral philosophy.

3240. Special Topics (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0288.)

Arranged each semester. Please consult with the instructor.

3243. Philosophy of Law (3 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0243.)

An introduction to philosophical problems arising in the examination of legal systems, including questions and theories about the nature of law itself, about legal responsibility and legal punishment, and about standards of fairness in settling legal disputes.

3249. Ethics in Medicine (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0249.)

Exploration of ethical issues generated by the application of scientific and technological advances to the preservation, destruction, and programming of human life. Topics may include: ethics of medical research, abortion, euthanasia, behavior control, allocation of scarce medical resources, and the ethics of patient-physician interaction.

3280. Special Topics (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0287.)

Arranged each semester; please consult with the instructor.

3282. Undergraduate Tutorial (2 s.h.) SS.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0295.)

Independent study for undergraduates with one of the professors in the department.

Note: Arrangements with that professor must be made before signing up for the course.

3283. Undergraduate Tutorial (3 s.h.) SS.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0297.)

Independent study for undergraduates with one of the professors in the department.

Note: Arrangements with that professor must be made before signing up for the course.

3910. Honors Special Topics in Philosophy (3 s.h.) RCI: HO.

(Formerly: PHILOS H291.)

Arranged each semester. Please consult with the instructor.

3968. Honors Themes in Existentialism (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS H186.)

Honors version of 3168 (0186).

4221. Social and Political Philosophy (3 s.h.)

Prerequisite: One 2000-level course in Philosophy; Political Science 2496; or permission of the instructor.

This course studies the major value questions that are addressed in contemporary theories of the nature of society and the state, including the requirements of justice in the distribution of benefits and burdens within a political society, and the justification of democracy as not only processes of majority rule but as involving participation and deliberation among citizens. The recognition of cultural identities and the role of gender and race are considered, and proposed norms of inclusiveness and diversity are analyzed. The course goes on to take up the challenge posed for philosophical theory by globalization in its economic and ecological impacts, and analyzes the norms of human rights and solidarity across borders that may be relevant in this new context. An emphasis will be placed on alternative philosophical frameworks within contemporary social and political philosophy, such as contractarianism, consequentialism, and care ethics. Readings will include such philosophers as John Rawls, Jurgen Habermas, Thomas Pogge, Iris Marion Young, and Nancy Fraser.

4229. Philosophy in Literature (3 s.h.) F.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0229.)

Selected philosophical themes as they appear in classical and modern literature. Frequently the themes concern the “enlightenment project,” “modernism,” and their critics.

4233. Problems in Aesthetics (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0233.)

An examination of the philosophical issues concerning the nature and importance of the arts and artistic practice, including questions about the nature of aesthetic experience, the definition of art, representation and expression in art, the ontological status of artworks, truth and reference in art, and the values of art.

4241. Theory of Knowledge (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0241.)

An examination of knowledge and belief. The specific subtopics involving them include truth, perception, innate ideas, justification, induction, the a priori, mathematical knowledge and rationalism versus empiricism.

4242. Metaphysics (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0242.)

An examination of the most general features of the universe. Topics include the character of truth, the existence of abstract entities, the nature of persons, free will, the existence or non-existence of God, ontological commitment, the relation of philosophy to science, causation, modal properties, reality and appearance, and various forms of realism and anti-realism.

4244. Philosophy of Mind (3 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0244.)

An examination of the character of mental and
psychological states. Specific issues may include the nature of persons, relations between natural and psychological sciences, action, mental content
and its relation to language.

The study of theories of meaning and meaningfulness. Selected topics may include reference, vagueness, speech act theory, and metaphor.

4253. Philosophy of History (3 s.h.) S.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0253.)

Problems of historical knowledge, e.g., problems about the historian’s claim to explain historical events (causation in history, reasons for actions, challenges to the objectivity of history) and problems about historical interpretation (including global interpretations of the historical process, such as Augustine’s, Kant’s, and Hegel’s).

4268. Indian Philosophy: An Introduction (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0268.)

Beginnings of Indian philosophical thinking in the hymns of Rig Veda and the Upanishads and the major schools of Indian philosophy as they took shape during the next thousand years. The latter include Samkhya, the Buddhist schools, the Vaiseskika, the Nyaya, and the major schools of Vedanta. Issues in metaphysics, epistemology, and logic emphasized.

Interpretation and critical examination of the dialogues of Plato and the works of Aristotle.

4274. Pragmatism and American Thought (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0284.)

American pragmatism and naturalism, with emphasis on Emerson, James, Peirce, Mead, Dewey, and contemporary pragmatists.

4275. British Empiricism (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0275.)

Selected topics in 17th and 18th century philosophers such as Locke, Berkeley, Hume and Reid.

4276. Contemporary Continental Philosophy (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0286.)

Phenomenology and existentialism, with emphasis on such 20th century philosophers as Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, Foucault, Derrida, and other post-structuralists.

4277. Continental Rationalism (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0277.)

This course is devoted to selected topics in 17th and 18th century philosophers in the Rationalist tradition such as Descartes, Spinoza, Malebranche and Leibniz.

4278. Philosophy of Culture (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0282.)

This course addresses central themes in philosophy of culture such as philosophical problems raised by the notion of cultural conditions of possibility, the relation of mythic knowledge to scientific and philosophical knowledge, the role of signs and symbols in the theories of culture, and the distinction between a philosophical anthropology and anthropological theory.

4279. Kant (3 s.h.)

(Formerly: PHILOS 0279.)

In depth study of some of the major critical writings of Kant.

4282. Undergraduate Tutorial (3 s.h.) SS.

(Formerly: PHILOS 0296.)

Independent study for undergraduates with one of the professors in the department.

Note: Arrangements with that professor must be made before signing up for the course.